Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

mi7chy

macrumors G4
Oct 24, 2014
10,625
11,296
Wonder if the $500 range Tencent version with 8GB DRAM and 128GB UFS 3.0 storage fully work with T-Mobile and AT&T GSM? This is potentially a top two phone especially for emulation.

 

Tsepz

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2013
4,887
4,698
Johannesburg, South Africa
Really nice looking phone.

Nearly all of the reviews on YouTube are positive

Snapdragon 855+
12gb Ram
512gb UFS3.0
120hz Refresh Rate
6000 mah battery which may last 2 to 3 days without charging again.
RGB lighting


All the above for a cheaper price than the competition.

It’s like the dream spec phone, except for the 1080P Display of course other than that this thing is nearest to perfect.

That 6000mAh battery is drool worthy alone!
 

MCube74

macrumors 65816
Nov 22, 2010
1,323
611
Hong Kong
The size of the phone is really big and it is heavy. Need time to get used to it.

Not easy to put in the jeans pocket.
[doublepost=1568728561][/doublepost]
As a lover of big OLED screens, I'm very keen on getting some hands on with this one. Look at it here next to the Note 10+. The Note is considered a beast but it looks almost scared next to the ROG II :D

The Note screen is very slightly wider, but that extra width is for me negated by the curves which the ROG II screen luckily doesn't have. And thanks to the bezels, the ROG II seems to have a longer effective (without notch/hole punch disturbance) screen length. I want my phone to be the best pocket cinema possible and it looks like the ROG II might become the top dog in that category among practically all currently existing phones.

View attachment 855804 View attachment 855805

I am confused between getting the note 10+ or the ASUS ROG Phone 2.

Anyone tried both phones to give personal experiences from each?
 

MCube74

macrumors 65816
Nov 22, 2010
1,323
611
Hong Kong
Asus ROG Phone 2 is simply amazing. It is probably the best Android phone I have used.

Note 10+ is also a good phone but it is good for those who will make use of the stylus. If not then Asus ROG phone 2 is a better phone.

It is like using a rooted Google Phone with the fastest processor.

If you invest money on the accessories you will enjoy it for gaming even more. Especially the Kunai Gamepad and the Mobile Desktop Dock.

I play some of my games on my big screen TV with my gamepad and Keyboard/mouse.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,252
1,407
Brazil
Asus ROG Phone 2 is simply amazing. It is probably the best Android phone I have used.

Note 10+ is also a good phone but it is good for those who will make use of the stylus. If not then Asus ROG phone 2 is a better phone.

It is like using a rooted Google Phone with the fastest processor.

If you invest money on the accessories you will enjoy it for gaming even more. Especially the Kunai Gamepad and the Mobile Desktop Dock.

I play some of my games on my big screen TV with my gamepad and Keyboard/mouse.

I was thinking of buying a ROG Phone 2 to be my standard Android phone. Not really interested in playing games with it. But very interested in the performance, in the 120 Hz screen, and in the 6,000 mAh battery.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,252
1,407
Brazil
I ended up buying one Asus ROG Phone II. It s very, very good.

I have had a fair share of Android phones before, the higher-end of the bunch being a Samsung Galaxy S8 (prior to that, the other high-end Android phone I had was a Galaxy S5). The Galaxies, although high-end, had a terrible interface, which was finally fixed. But even so, they have always seemed to lag a bit, and the touch was not as responsive as the one in the iPhones. As a result, the iPhone, even some older model, always seemed to me to provide a smoother experience than the Galaxy. This is something that always disappointed me in the Galaxy family. And the same happened to other Android smartphones. They were a pain to use compared to the iPhone.

Until I used the ROG Phone II. The screen is fast and responsive, and the experience is very smooth. It is the first Android phone that I have ever used that can be compared to an iPhone. It is simply a delight to use.

No, it does not have wireless charging, and it is not waterproof. I do not really need this, as it adds very little to the usage experience per se. Some people may really need a waterproof phone, but I doubt half of users who go after this feature really need it. I think too many people give too much attention to these secondary features that they forget the core ones. And what this phone delivers is core features, leaving ancillaries aside.

The camera is good, and can take some really nice and clear photos, but it is not the best. If you want the best camera, go elsewhere. But I found it to be perfectly good for my needs.

The screen is just great. It does not have the same resolution or brightness of the Note 10, but I have not noticed the difference. And the screen is incredibly fast.

The battery is huge, 6,000 mAh. It does not last as long as you could expect, given the power of this phone. But it is good enough to go through the day using the phone without restrictions.

I have not yet played any game with it, and it is not my purpose. But even so, I found this phone to be a great one, and Asus provides some features that may seem superfluous, but they make it really shine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tbayrgs and Oohara

Oohara

macrumors 68040
Jun 28, 2012
3,050
2,423
I ended up buying one Asus ROG Phone II. It s very, very good.

I have had a fair share of Android phones before, the higher-end of the bunch being a Samsung Galaxy S8 (prior to that, the other high-end Android phone I had was a Galaxy S5). The Galaxies, although high-end, had a terrible interface, which was finally fixed. But even so, they have always seemed to lag a bit, and the touch was not as responsive as the one in the iPhones. As a result, the iPhone, even some older model, always seemed to me to provide a smoother experience than the Galaxy. This is something that always disappointed me in the Galaxy family. And the same happened to other Android smartphones. They were a pain to use compared to the iPhone.

Until I used the ROG Phone II. The screen is fast and responsive, and the experience is very smooth. It is the first Android phone that I have ever used that can be compared to an iPhone. It is simply a delight to use.

No, it does not have wireless charging, and it is not waterproof. I do not really need this, as it adds very little to the usage experience per se. Some people may really need a waterproof phone, but I doubt half of users who go after this feature really need it. I think too many people give too much attention to these secondary features that they forget the core ones. And what this phone delivers is core features, leaving ancillaries aside.

The camera is good, and can take some really nice and clear photos, but it is not the best. If you want the best camera, go elsewhere. But I found it to be perfectly good for my needs.

The screen is just great. It does not have the same resolution or brightness of the Note 10, but I have not noticed the difference. And the screen is incredibly fast.

The battery is huge, 6,000 mAh. It does not last as long as you could expect, given the power of this phone. But it is good enough to go through the day using the phone without restrictions.

I have not yet played any game with it, and it is not my purpose. But even so, I found this phone to be a great one, and Asus provides some features that may seem superfluous, but they make it really shine.
Wow, I'm jelly. Congrats on your purchase! How are the speakers? And the weight? Would love to hear more about your experience with it as you go along :D
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,252
1,407
Brazil
Wow, I'm jelly. Congrats on your purchase! How are the speakers? And the weight? Would love to hear more about your experience with it as you go along :D
Thanks.

I am here in NYC this week, and I decided to buy it. I have a Samsung Galaxy M30 with me (which I brought because of the large battery, so I can have it during the whole day) which is the phone I can compare it to right now.

I have an iPhone X at home (which I did not bring as the battery drains very fast), which I can compare to later.

As for the weight, well, it is not a lightweight, as you should expect. It is heavier than the Galaxy M30, which packs a 5,000 mAh battery and a 6.4" screen. However, it is still a smartphone, so it is perfectly fine.

The sound is good. It beats the Galaxy M30 hands down, but that should not be a comparison. It comes with an equalizer, so you can choose what kind of beat you prefer. You will not want a top-notch sound coming out of a smartphone, but I think it is good. In a few days I will be able to compare it to the iPhone X.

I used it all day, since the morning, and it got to 10% of battery at 9pm. The 6,000 mAh battery drains faster than the 5,000 mAh of the Galaxy M30, but it should last all day. I turned the screen to 60 Hz after half the battery was gone, so I suppose I should have been fine if I did not spend the battery so much.

I also think this is the best value among all phones I have tried. It comes with 512 GB of storage, 12 GB of RAM, and it is super fast. It also comes with its own case. And it feels premium to the touch. It even has an unnecessary light on the back. I am very happy with it so far, and I still think it is better for my needs than any Galaxy S10/Note 10 or equivalent Android phone. It focus more on core features (processor, battery, touch) and less on ancillaries (waterproof, wireless charging).

Although it has been only one day, I can say that this is the first Android phone that I have ever used that can replace an iPhone.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I will do my best to answer them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oohara

Oohara

macrumors 68040
Jun 28, 2012
3,050
2,423

Looks like such a beast. If I had the spare cash right now, this is the one I’d choose.
 
  • Like
Reactions: skaertus

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,252
1,407
Brazil

Looks like such a beast. If I had the spare cash right now, this is the one I’d choose.
It is a great phone. I have it for a few days now and I have yet to play a game on it. I bought it to use on a daily basis.

And it is by far the best Android phone I have ever had. It is a delight to use. All my previous Android phones, including two high-end Samsung Galaxy S phones, lacked smoothness when compared to an iPhone. They all lagged and were not as responsive as the iPhone. Even the high-end Samsung phones lacked smoothness and responsiveness when compared to last year's iPhone.

In the past, I always avoided using my Android phones and came back all the time to the iPhone. That is because the iPhone has always provided the best experience, and Android phones were less convenient and sometimes a pain to use.

Not this one. This phone is smooth as butter, it is the first one I have ever used to bring an iPhone-esque experience to Android. The 120Hz screen is very fast and responsive with its 240Hz touch sensitivity. The processor is fast, and RAM is more than enough, so no lag in apps. It is a joy to use. I have an iPhone X and I have hardly used it since I bought this one. It is that amazing. This is the Android phone that can actually replace the iPhone.

The battery life is good. The 6,000mAh provides enough juice for the day. I am using it for 16 hours now today, and it is still at 23%. And that is with the screen set at 120Hz. It will not last two days, though, at least not for my kind of heavy use. I wish it was even bigger, but I can deal with this one.

The reviews pick the cameras as one of the week spots. I found the cameras to be very good, actually. All the shots were great so far. I am no photographer myself, but I found the photos as good as the ones taken by the iPhone X.

It does have a night mode for photos. It is not as great as the night mode in the iPhone 11, but I suppose nothing else is. To be honest, the camera may not be top-notch, but I am no expert in this field and I cannot really say. It is good enough for me, and I cannot really tell the difference. So, apart from night mode (which can be a big deal), it really makes no difference for me, and I would prefer great specs over a great camera any day.

It does not support wireless charging, and I have never used this feature in any phone I had before, so I really do not care. It is also not waterproof, but I do not dare taking my iPhone X to the water anyway; so, while having this gives some comfort, I will not actively use this feature.

Overall, I am very satisfied so far. The weakest point is that it is not good to hold in one hand, due to the bigger screen. So, the iPhone is more comfortable to be used single-handedly. The iPhone is also more comfortable to holding overall. But it does not take away the shine of this phone, which is simply brilliant. So far, at least. I highly recommend it, and I do not think any Samsung can beat it, no matter how many bells and whistles it comes with.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,252
1,407
Brazil
I used it for some additional days now, and I have some more comments:

  • Battery life could be better. I know this 6,000 mAh battery is supposed to last for two days, but it does not, at least for me. Yesterday, it got at 2% at night, and I am using the phone screen at 60Hz (instead of 120Hz) and at battery economy mode all the time. I am a very heavy user, but I would expect better battery life from this phone, as it barely lasts a day. The Samsung Galaxy M30 has a 5,000 mAh battery (and a much weaker processor), but it always got to the end of the day with ease (even though I tend to use it less than the ROG Phone II as it is slow). The iPhone X, on the other hand, needs 2-3 full charges to last a day. So, this one appears to sit in the middle, although I expected it to be similar to the Galaxy M30 (especially since tests show its battery life to be superior: https://www.gsmarena.com/battery-test.php3?idPhone=9535#show).
  • The screen has some glare, which makes it not so good to watch videos on the go. I noticed that the iPhone X and the Samsung Galaxy M30 (which has the same screen as the A50) have less glare and are better for watching videos.
  • I dropped the ROG Phone II today, and it fell to the ground with the screen down. Nothing happened, so I suppose either the screen is strong enough to support such falls or the Aerocase (which comes with the phone) protected it. A similar drop resulted in a cracked screen on my Galaxy M30.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oohara

tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
Sounds like a nice phone for the right price. I'm looking for a bit more power than my battery beast phone has (g7 power)
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,252
1,407
Brazil
Sounds like a nice phone for the right price. I'm looking for a bit more power than my battery beast phone has (g7 power)

The Moto G7 Power has lots of battery life (5,000 mAh). The ROG Phone II has a larger battery at 6,000 mAh, but it also drags much more power, as its processor is far more powerful. I find it to last less than the Samsung Galaxy M30 (which also has a 5,000 mAh battery).
 
  • Like
Reactions: tonybarnaby

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,252
1,407
Brazil
Nearly one year later, I have some feedback on the use of the ROG Phone II.

The phone definitely runs smooth, it is really powerful and has lots of RAM and storage.

The screen is great. It is Full HD+, but I can see no difference from other devices. And it is flat and there is no hole for the camera to fit. The touch and the scrolling are so smooth...

It is a big, bulky phone, and you end up getting used to it. It is not the most comfortable to hold, especially with one hand.

Battery life could be better. At first, it was good, which is at least expected from its 6,000 mAh. But then it decreased a lot. I could not squeeze half a day of the phone before the battery ran out. Disappointing.

The phone is resistant to drops due to its Gorilla Glass 6 protection. I dropped it several times and it resisted fiercely. However, I, not being very careful, ended up dropping it to much, which resulted in a cracked screen. So, it is resistant but by no means unbreakable.

There are some reliability issues. The volume down button stucks sometimes.

The USB charger recently ran into problems, and started to have trouble recognizing chargers. I tried several chargers and it keeps connecting and disconnecting with no apparent reason.

The phone is susceptible to heating even in normal usage. In fact, heating may well be one the causes of some of the issues I had with it. The solution I found for this was to turn on Mode X, which improves hardware efficiency, turns off background apps, and apparently unleashes liquid cooling. Then it runs really cool for normal usage and battery life seems to magically improve.

Given all the reliability issues that I found - inconsistent charges, battery lower than expected, heating, and USB port problems -, I ended up buying another phone, which arrived just yesterday. I simply cannot afford the risk to be without a phone, especially during these pandemic times when I am confined to home office.

The ROG Phone II is a great phone in many respects, but, in the long run, I found to be some issues which I would not have expected. I hope Asus manages to fix them with the ROG Phone 3. But, for now, I am turning to a standard flagship and using a portable wireless battery to provide additional juice to the phone while on the go (a trick that the ROG Phone II cannot pull as it lacks wireless charging).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oohara

LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,877
10,987
Maybe doze wasn't active, which was affecting battery? Or the heat killed it? That's a crazy loss for a 6,000 mAh.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.